1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to silicone microparticles comprising silicone elastomer spherical microparticles coated with a polyorganosilsesquioxane which are able to absorb polymethylsiloxanes having a viscosity of not more than 10 mm2/s, and also relates to a method of producing such silicone microparticles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cosmetic materials containing an added low-viscosity silicone are used to impart softness and smoothness to the skin, thus providing an emollient effect, but these types of cosmetic materials suffer from the unavoidable drawbacks of greasiness, stickiness, and an oily film feeling.
Conventionally, silicone particles have been used to impart cosmetic materials with favorable feelings during use, such as a feeling of silkiness or smoothness, and also to impart improved extensibility. In particular, silicone microparticles comprising spherical microparticles of a silicone rubber coated with a polyorganosilsesquioxane (see Patent Document 1) have a soft feel, are non-cohesive, and exhibit excellent dispersibility, and are therefore used in a wide variety of cosmetic materials. However, in Patent Document 1, no mention is made of silicone microparticles that comprise a core of a silicone rubber spherical microparticle formed from an addition reaction cured product of a monovalent olefinic unsaturated group-containing organopolysiloxane containing a small amount of monovalent olefinic unsaturated groups and an organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing a small amount of hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms and that are capable of absorbing a large amount of low-viscosity silicones.
[Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,793